Your guide to finding and caring for a Balinese in Denver
A Balinese suits a Denver apartment well, as long as someone's around to talk to it. In Capitol Hill's older apartment buildings and condos, these silky-coated cats claim a window perch and narrate the street below. They're chatty, playful and clever, so a cat tree by the window and a few short play sessions a day go a long way. Balinese don't love long, empty days, which makes them a good match for people who work from home or keep flexible hours.
Fall for a Balinese
F, 3-7 y., 643 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
F, 0-6 mo., 643 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
F, 3-7 y., 643 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
M, 5 y., 643 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Siamese
F, 4 y., 644 miles
Siamese
M, 6 mo., 644 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Snowshoe
M, 2 mo., 646 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Siamese
M, 3 y., 648 miles
Siamese
M, 3 y., 648 miles
Siamese
F, 6 mo., 648 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
The Balinese is essentially a longhaired Siamese, developed in the United States in the 1940s and 1950s. The name comes from the graceful way Balinese dancers move, not from Indonesia. It has the Siamese colorpoint pattern and blue eyes, a slender body, and a silky single coat that ends in a plumed tail. A modern, wedge-headed type and a sturdier traditional type both exist.
In a Denver home, the coat is the easy part. With no dense undercoat, it rarely mats, and brushing a few times a month usually keeps it tidy. The bigger commitment is companionship. Many Balinese are social, vocal and playful, and they like fetch, puzzle toys and high perches. Adult cats vary, so spend time with a cat before deciding whether its energy and chattiness fit your household.
Having a Balinese in Denver
Balinese are social, clever cats with an easy-care silky coat. For Denver adopters, the traits that matter most are their need for company, love of climbing, a few Siamese-linked health concerns, and how well they adapt to apartment life.
Many Balinese bond closely with their people, follow them from room to room and comment on the day in a softer voice than most Siamese. They're curious and clownish, and often fine with considerate kids and pets. In a Denver apartment, expect a cat that wants company; some get bored or clingy, and adult cats differ.
Plan on several short play sessions a day with wand toys, fetch, puzzle feeders and climbing. Denver's snow and hail days make a solid indoor routine worthwhile anyway. Tall cat trees, shelves and window perches burn energy, and rotating toys keeps a smart Balinese from inventing its own games, like raiding cabinets.
Siamese-related concerns in Balinese include progressive retinal atrophy, liver amyloidosis, dental disease and crossed eyes, which is usually harmless. Not every cat develops them. Schedule a full veterinary exam soon after adopting, keep up dental care, and have a vet look at any vision changes or weight loss.
Balinese do well in the apartments and condos common in Denver, provided they have vertical space: cat trees, shelves and a window perch. Keep the cat indoors or on a secure balcony or catio, since coyotes live in the metro area. A second cat can help if you're out most of the day.
| Expense | Typical cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Pet insurance | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Routine vet care | $150 to $350 per year | $150 to $350 |
| Other* | $465 to $1,165 per year | $465 to $1,165 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,215 to $2,715 | |
Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* Litter, the $15 Denver cat license, flea prevention, a dental cleaning allowance, toys, scratchers and cat trees, and minimal grooming for a single coat.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below have cats available in and near Denver.
Denver has a municipal shelter and several nonprofit rescues caring for cats of all ages and backgrounds. Here are the rescues & shelters in the Denver area with cats available for adoption, worth asking whether a Balinese is coming in.
Yes, you can own a Balinese in Denver. The city's breed-specific rules apply to certain dogs, not cats. Cats six months and older must be licensed within 30 days, vaccinated for rabies and spayed or neutered. Households can have up to five dogs and cats combined, with no more than three dogs, so a Balinese fits easily.
Yes, a Balinese usually does well in a Denver apartment when it has a tall cat tree, a window perch with a view of the street and daily play. Their conversational voices can carry through thin walls, so a steady routine helps. Check your lease for pet terms before you apply.
Yes, Denver's dry climate works well for an indoor Balinese. Winters are cold, with freezing nights from about October through May, and a single-coated cat will seek warmth, so give it a draft-free bed. On the days summer afternoons pass 90°F, keep a shaded room cool and water fresh.
Yes, Balinese can ride RTD buses and trains when they're in a carrier. RTD allows small pets in carriers and otherwise limits animals to service animals. A Balinese usually fits a standard carrier. Pick a secure, ventilated one, and on commuter rail keep it on the floor out of the aisle or on your lap.
Very little. A Balinese has a silky single coat with no thick undercoat, so brushing a few times a month usually keeps it smooth and tangle-free. Trim the nails and glance at the teeth while you're at it. Because the coat is so easy, grooming adds almost nothing to the Other costs in the table above.
A Balinese is a good fit if you want a talkative, playful cat and can offer daily interaction in a Denver apartment or house. It suits people who enjoy play sessions and a running commentary. It's less suited to someone wanting a quiet, independent cat, and adult personalities vary, so look closely at each cat's listing.
No, Balinese cats are not hypoallergenic. Claims that they produce less of the main cat allergen, Fel d 1, are widely repeated but not supported by solid research. Their single coat sheds less than many longhaired breeds, which some allergic people find easier. Reactions vary between people and cats, so spend time with the individual cat before adopting.
Balinese is usually pronounced BAH-lih-neez, with the stress on the first syllable, the same way people say the word for something from Bali. Some people say BAL-ih-neez instead, and both are understood. The name was chosen to evoke the grace of Balinese dancers, not because the cats come from Bali.
Balinese cats shed, but usually less than you might expect from a longhaired cat. Their fine, silky coat has no dense undercoat, so it sheds lightly year-round with modest seasonal increases. The coat rarely mats. Brushing or combing once or twice a week removes loose hair and helps reduce hairballs.
Plan on roughly $1,200 to $2,700 a year for a Balinese in Denver. That covers food, insurance, routine vet care and other costs such as litter, the city license, dental care and supplies. Your total depends on the food you choose, your insurance plan and whether the cat develops any health issues. Emergencies and illness aren't included.
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